Luk 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
Luk 18:2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
Luk 18:3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
Luk 18:4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
Luk 18:5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Luk 18:6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.
Luk 18:7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Luke chapter 18 is a very profound passage of scripture that is loaded with revelation prophetically and practically for where we are today. This story contains hidden truths unknown to those that do not have an ear to hear. It also contains some powerful nuggets that are profound for what we are experiencing today as a people. Luke chapter 18 gives us revelation, knowledge and understanding concerning persistent prayer, an unrighteous judge, a righteous judge and a powerless widow who wants justice against her adversary.
Bear with me as I take the time to exposit these passages of scripture so that we get a greater understanding of all that the LORD wants to reveal to us. The times in which we live today are very tribulous with COVID-19, violence in the streets, unjustified murder, and a system that does not appear to give justice to every human being especially those of color.
When we read about all the turmoil in the world, innocent people being murdered, unjust laws, and unjust decisions made by leaders and rulers in the earth, people in the world often wonder where they can get justice.
We find God rendering justice all throughout the Bible. This is a constant theme especially in the Old Testament, where the children of Israel often cried out to the LORD for justice, and he would raise up a deliverer to deliver his people. This is why Moses and the Judges were raised up in the Old Testament because God heard the cries and prayers of his people!
I am reminded of the children of Israel who were in Egypt and they cried out to the LORD, and he heard the cries of his people and sent them a deliverer!
Exo 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
Exo 3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
We find in scripture that whenever the people cried out to God for justice, God always answered! Could this not be the key to obtaining righteous justice that we need? Many people are making their voices heard through destruction and violence, but those of us who know the power of prayer should be calling on the name of the LORD! I believe that is scriptural and Biblical. Lets take a look at this profound scripture.
Luk 18:1 says, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” This is profound. Although the situation is out of control, we cannot lose heart. Some would say, we have prayed enough. We can never pray enough The LORD said we should always pray and not lose heart. I encourage you to not lose heart, and to continue to pray!
Luk 18:2 goes on to say, “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.” How many of us know that there are government officials, and policemen who do not fear God, nor regard man? This is not the case for all of them, but it is interesting that the LORD said, “There was a certain city” which could be any city (sound familiar?) and that judge did not fear God nor man. The Bible says in Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.”
Luk 18:3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary. The Bible says that there was a widow in that city, and she wanted justice from her adversary. The Greek word for enemy is “antidikos” which means enemy, opponent or specifically Satan. How many of us know that it is the enemy (Satan) who comes to kill, steal and to destroy? (John 10:10) Why does Christ use a widow in this parable? The revelation of the widow is this in the parable. Widows need help. They are alone most of the time, and they have no husband to stand in the gap for them.
This is why the Bible exhorts us to care for widows. Psa 68:5 say, “God is a Father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows is God in his holy habitation.” So the LORD uses a widow in this story to symbolize someone who is vulnerable, someone in need, someone who needs help and someone who needs justice. Does this describe where we are now as a people? We need justice, we need help, and we are vulnerable! What does vulnerable mean? It is defined as someone who is susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm.
The Bible says in Luk 18:4 , that the judge would not do it for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, Luk 18:5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
Now understand that the LORD said this widow kept coming and did not stop her request and pleas for justice to this unjust judge. Does that sound familiar? The cries of black and brown people have been screaming for justice for hundreds of years, but eventually the unjust judge who did not fear God, or regard man said in verse 5, “Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her (give her justice) because of her continual coming.
I believe the cries of the people have reached a pinnacle and have erupted into violence as a result. We do not condone violence and destruction by any stretch of the imagination, but the seed sown is now being reaped, and the continued cries for justice must be answered.
Luk 18:6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. “So now the LORD is going to give us some revelation about this story. Christ said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.”
Well, what did he say? The scripture in Luke 5 says, “Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”
Christ said that this man who did not fear God nor regard man eventually relented because of her persistent, consistent cry for justice! Then he gives us contrasting revelation concerning a man who is an unjust judge, and God himself who is the righteous judge of heaven and earth!
Luk 18:7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? The LORD says that if a man who is an unrighteous judge, who does not fear God, nor regard man will eventually give justice, so will God himself who is a righteous God, a righteous judge, and regards man.
King David said in Psa 8:4, said the following about man who is a human being. “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” I am sure that the angels in heaven often wonder why God regards and tolerates human beings. The answer is love. I want you to know that God loves us, sees us, knows the pain, sorrow, hurt, and injustice that prevails in the earth and he will bring justice speedily as verse 8 attests.
Luk 18:8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” God himself will render and bring justice and he will do it speedily. Nevertheless, when we comes, will he find faith on the earth?
In other words, God will indeed grant justice, but will the people be trusting him? Will they be in faith or fear when he comes? Will they be in faith or unbelief? Child of God, keep the faith! Regardless of what happens in the earth, we must stay in faith. Some people mock our faith, but God will honor the faith of those of us who trust in the LORD, and who are strong in faith knowing that God is a righteous judge who will grant justice!
Listen, the lesson is this. Although we have human judges and they have been given the authority to judge in a court of law, they are but men. We should take comfort in knowing that there is one who is the God man, Jesus the Christ, who will judge humanity with righteousness. God is all about justice, mercy, equity and compassion! The Bible calls him a righteous judge! Listen to the scriptures:
Psa 50:6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself.
Psa 96:13 For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.
Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
Zec 7:9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother.
Isa 30:18 Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
Isa 56:1 Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.
The Bible says that one day the LORD will come and he will administer true justice for the oppressed. God is all about fairness, equity, justice, mercy and compassion. Anyone who says that they know the LORD Jesus Christ, and does not have these same values or attributes is a liar, lost and denies the faith. When we read the scriptures we find that Jesus came to administer true justice for the oppressed.
Luk 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me; because of this He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and new sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
Notice that the ministry of Jesus Christ was all preaching the good news, healing the brokenhearted, preaching deliverance from the captives, giving sight to the blind and providing liberty and freedom to the captives!
This is true justice indeed! I believe that this is the season where anyone with a voice or a pen must speak with action, and raise our voices like a trumpet. Most importantly, we must do as Christ said in Luke 18:1, “Continue to always pray, and do not lose heart.” Be encouraged and may those that have died, rest in peace.
God bless,
Pastor Quinn